Long Beach State University Athletics
Okpala Headlines Three Beach Selections To AVCA All-Region
12/9/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
LONG BEACH, Calif. - Senior middle blocker Chisom Okpala earned the third All-Region selection of her career to headline three Long Beach State selections to the American Volleyball Coaches Association's All-Pacific South Region Team. Junior setter Jenelle Hudson and senior opposite Bre Mackie earned Honorable Mention for their first career regional honors.
Okpala led the Beach offensively with 2.95 kills per set and a .377 hitting percentage this season. Both marks are career-highs for the senior from Yorba Linda, Calif. She raised her career hitting percentage to .349 this season, which ranks seventh in Long Beach State history. She also finished her career in the top-10 in the LBSU record book with 303 block assists and 350 total blocks.
After missing a few matches with an injury early in the season, Okpala came back stronger and helped the Beach to its fifth undefeated conference season in program history. The Beach went 16-0 in the Big West to win its 13th conference title and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last weekend.
Hudson, the Big West Player of the Year, earned All-Region Honorable Mention after a solid all-around first year at the Beach. The junior transfer averaged 10.22 assists per set while also averaging over one kill per set and 2.82 digs per set. She ranked second on the team with 316 digs this season and also proved to be a threat offensively with a .309 hitting percentage in 282 attacks.
Mackie had a career year as a senior, highlighted by AVCA National Player of the Week honors on Oct. 14, to also earn All-Region honorable mention. The senior from Redding, Calif. had career-bests of 2.84 kills per set, a .303 hitting percentage, 1.12 blocks per set, 89 digs and 19 service aces. Mackie's 312 kills in 2014 were 86 more than her previous career-high, which she set in 2013. Her 22 solo blocks also led the squad.
LBSU's three All-Region selections are the most of all Big West teams. Okpala, Mackie and Hudson are the lone Big West players to be selected to the All-Pacific South region as the conference is split between the Pacific South and Pacific North regions.
Okpala's All-Region first team selection marks the second time that she has earned the first team honor, duplicating her honors from 2012. With the first team nod, she has earned All-American consideration as the AVCA All-America teams will be announced next week.
